MONTICELLO — Sullivan County Judge Frank LaBuda allowed jury selection to proceed in the Paul Novak murder trial on Monday despite the Sullivan County district attorney’s complaints about pretrial publicity and LaBuda’s characterization of his star witness as “a confessed murderess.”

LaBuda rejected a call from District Attorney Jim Farrell and special counsel, Steve Lungen, to delay jury selection. Lungen, the former Sullivan County district attorney who is assisting the prosecution, complained about Novak’s front-page jail-house interview published Sunday in the Times Herald-Record, saying “it is impossible … to get a jury this morning.”

Novak is accused of strangling his estranged wife, Catherine, in December 2008, and then burning down their Lava home to cover up the crime and collect insurance payoffs. LaBuda issued a gag order that bars attorneys from talking to reporters through the trial. But he said it was premature to assume a fair jury couldn’t be picked this week. Lungen and Farrell also argued strongly that LaBuda should reverse his decision to allow cameras in the courtroom.

During a contentious morning conference in Sullivan County Court, Farrell also addressed the involvement of his witness Michelle LaFrance in the alleged crime. LaFrance, Novak’s former lover, admitted during a taped interview with state police last year she knew of the plot to kill Catherine Novak and helped Novak concoct an alibi. This new revelation became public last week when LaBuda notified Farrell he would be sanctioned for not clearly revealing the extent of her involvement. LaBuda called LaFrance arguably “a confessed murderess” and “unindicted, coconspirator and co-defendant.”

Farrell said LaFrance was not involved in the actual crime, didn’t plan it and was opposed to the idea. She ultimately came forward out of guilt, thinking she would be arrested. Farrell granted her immunity.

“She was absolutely not a co-defendant,” Farrell told LaBuda. “She didn’t do anything.”

Novak’s attorney, Gary Greenwald, has asked LaBuda to dismiss the indictment on grounds the Grand Jury was not clearly informed of LaFrance’s role when she testified. LaBuda said he would make his decision on Wednesday.

LaBuda did impose one sanction against the DA that will allow Greenwald the right to request an adjournment during the trial to investigate her statements should he need it. He wasn’t given LaFrance’s taped statement in a timely manner.